Feather renovator



c. R. CURTIS 1,755,471

FEATHER RENOVATOR April 22, 1930.

Filed Jan. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 zr/ (zza l/6 ,0 \g Vf \a @my/f I @Y @awa/fwd INVENTOE.'

TTQRNEX Aprilrzz, 1930. C. R. CURTIS FEATHER RENOVATOR Filed Jan. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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Y dal Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNlTEDjSTATES PATENT once CLANCY R. CURTIS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. BRUNS, F ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA FEATHER RENOVATOR Application filed. January 25, 1929. Serial No. 335,021.

My invention relates to a feather renovating device and the main object is to provide a simple, highly efficient4 device, the use of which separates dust, dirt, loose quills and any foreign mattei' from the feathers and delivers the latter in aV desirable fludy and clean condition.

Further objects and advantages are here inafter fully set forth and the preferred construction of the device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whiclu- Y Fig. 1 is a plan view of my feather renovator mounted on a portable platform.

Fig. 2 is a front view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation approximately as on line 3-3 in Fig. 1, showing mainly the interior construction of the feather circulating passages of the main drum. y

Fig. 4 is a left hand end elevation of Fig. 2, a portion of the upper part of the drum being broken out to reveal a rear air current.

guide; also showing a modification involving an outlet spout.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, 5 designates a platform which may be either portable or fixed, said platform having mounted at one end a suitable rotary blower, 6 with a driven pulley, 7 engaged by a belt, 8 also engaging a driving pulley, k9 of a motor, 1() also mounted on the platform in proximity to the blower. 11 is a receiving hopper near blower 6 and communicating with the latter by a conductor pipe 12 and 13 is a delivery spout from any suitable contain'- er (not shown) to deliver feathers into hopper 11. 14 is the outlet pipe of the blower, the rotary motion of the blower being such as to draw the feathers from the hopper and discharge them through pipe 14 at a high previn ously determined velocity as indicated by arrows 15) into the receiving duct 16 entering the lower part of a large upright drum 17 which will now be described.

The drumv 17 comprises preferably an upright hollow sheet metal drum mounted on platform 5 in alinement with the outlet spout 14 of the blower.

The face or perimeter of the drum is designated 17A., the rear wall 17B and the front wall 17C; 17A being of course circular and inwardly of the face 17A is another fixed circular partition 18 concentric to 17A forming thus a circular; duct 19, the lower` part of which communicates directly with the intake duct 1 6 from the blower 6. The'top wall of said duct 16 (designated as 16T) inwardly of face 17 A forms a cross wall in the lower part of thedrum and the inner partition 18 terminates in spaced relation above saidwall and may' be curved inwardly and thence upwardly as 18C (Fig. 3) thus providing a passage-way20 opening into the centerof the drpm; v

ln Fig. 3, 21 designates, in dotted outline, a quadrangular outlet opening in the front wall 17C of the drum communicating directly with alarge sheet metal duct 22 extending forwardly and downwardlyk toward the base orplatform 5 where it isformed as. an enlarged horizontally disposed receiving vchainber designated 22C. From this chamber eX-V tends an outlet spout 22S terminating in an outlet pipe 23'asinFig. 4. In pipe 23 a suitable valve 24 is operable to let out renovated feathers which may simply drop into a rack (not shown) under said pipe. rIhe receiving chamber 22C is preferably provided with a drawer 2,5 vto catch heavy particles gravitating thereinto and being further guided into the drawer by ysloping partitions 26 in said chamber (seeFig. 4). ,v

In Fig. 4kand also in Fig. 3' the upper` portionrof the rea-r wall 17 B of the drum is shown curved inwardly as 17 B just below the `inner circular wall 18,' this to guide the feather Jcarrlying' current of air as will -be now set ort In Fig. 2, 36 is 'an aperture in the plane of wallrlC between housing 22 and the upper curvature andcovered by a screen 27 for outlet of air. (See also Fig. 2.)

, In the use of my devicefeathers to be renovated'are put in hopper 11, the blower 6 drawing the .feathers Yinto it and' blowing them with considerable force through conduitV 16 into the circular conduit 19, the

' feathers being subject of course tothe strong air current therein and moving as'indicated by varrows23to and through aperture 2OI into the center chamber of the drum. The feathinwardly directed slope arranged to guide air ers in the latter chamber are in motion and currents to and through said screened apersuspended and continue to move through the ture.

aperture 21 and into the housing 22 losing considerable momentum because the main air current finds outlet through screen 27. Subsequently the feathers drop downwardly in housing 22, the light and desirable feathers gravitating in semi-suspension as the short quills, sand and 'heavier foreign matter drop toward the bottom and falll into the pan 25. rllhe renovated feathers continue on beyond the pan, however, as indicated by arrow 29 (Fig. 4:) thence into and through the discharge means described. The arrows 30 in F ig. 3 indicate the path of movement of the feathers from the cent-er of the'druin through apertureQl to` the housing or container 22.

The use of my device has been 'fully diS-V clos'ed but it mightv be 'added that the vcentrifugally moving air cu-rrentsloos'en all foreigninatter, dust, etc.7 from the feathers and the feathers delivered from the device are always in a highly "satisfactory condition for useV in pillows,` mattresses and'other stuffed articles.

I claim: Y

'1. A feather renovatingvdevice comprising a power blower, a drum mounted in an upright planeta perimetral duct in said drum and a tangential extension thereof communieating with said blowerj's'aid perimetral duct provided with outlet vmeans from the center of the drum,^and saidblower arranged t0 receive and project feathers vto'be renovated into said perimetral duct by air pressure and from said duct into the central'p'art of the drum, elevated outlet means from-said central part of the drum comprisinga settling duct directed outwardly and downwardly therefrom, Va means for reducing the air current at said drum 'outlet said' settling duct adapted'to receive thefea'thers in semi-suspension and guide means therein to guide heavier matter'to the bottom part of it and further to guide the feathers beyond said bottom part to a discharge means.l

2, The structure Vspecified in claim l, in which said latter discharge means comprises a Ysuitable outlet pipe above the baise of lsaid settling duct 'and a valve in said latter outlet.

3. The structure specified in claim l in which said means for reducing the air cur- Y rent at the drum outlet comprises the provision of an opening adjacentsaid outlet in a wall of the druin 'and a `screen suitably mounted in said opening. Y

4. The structure specified in claim l in which said means for reducing the lair cu`rrent at the drum outlet comprises the provision ofan opening acent said outlet in a wall of the drum anda screen suitably mounted in said 'opening and the opposite wall from said apertured wall formed with an In testimony whereof I aliX my signature. 

